Xango is a juice product manufactured by Xango, Inc. and marketed through independent distributors following a multilevel marketing plan. Xango juice consists of the whole mangosteen puree, which contains not only the juice of the fruit but also the pulp and the rind, also known as the pericarp. Although the mangosteen fruit contains biologically active components that may provide health benefits, Xango cannot make specific health benefits claims since it is not approved as a drug.
FDA Warning
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration sent a warning to the manufacturers of Xango. FDA officials received marketing brochures that listed the various health benefits of Xango, which included various claims, such as that Xango prevents atherosclerosis, depression, bacterial infections and fungal infections, fights viruses, lowers fever, lowers blood sugar and helps prevent obesity. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act 21 U.S.C. 321 states that only approved drugs can make claims to cure, treat or prevent disease. The claims made on the brochures present the Xango juice as a drug, but Xango is not approved by the FDA as a drug.
Mangosteen
Although Xango cannot make specific health claims, research on the fruit in the juice shows that it contains potentially beneficial compounds. The mangosteen, the fruit produced in a tree native to Thailand, is a popular dietary supplement in the United States and has been crowned the queen of fruits for its medicinal properties by the people in Thailand. Mangosteen fruit contains a group of plant nutrients, referred to as phytonutrients, known as xanthones. Xanthones exhibit biological activities in the human body, including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer effects according to research published in the "Mini Review of Organic Chemistry." The mangosteen fruit also contains other nutrients, including vitamin C, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and niacin.
Anti-Cancer
Several of the xanthone molecules found in the mangosteen fruit exhibit activity as aromatase inhibitors, according to research published in the "Nutrition Journal." Some forms of breast cancer thrive off of the estrogen in the body. Agents that inhibit the aromatase activity can reduce the amount of estrogen. By reducing the estrogen level, aromatase inhibitors such as the xanthones can be used as a chemotherapeutic agent. Research published in the "International Journal of Molecular Sciences" states that xanthone compounds found in mangosteen can inhibit cell growth, which can help fight cancer since cancer cells grow rapidly.
Anti-Inflammatory
Research published in the "Nutrition Journal" confirms that the xanthone compounds in the mangosteen fruit can inhibit inflammation. By acting as an anti-inflammatory agent, mangosteen fruit may help fight against cardiovascular disease by reducing inflammation in the blood vessels. Inflammation also plays a role in lung disease, digestive diseases, skin diseases and arthritis. The mangosteen fruit has many potential health benefits, but because Xango is a juice, it cannot make claim to these benefits.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; FDA Warning Letter; B. Collins; October 2006
- "Mini Review of Organic Chemistry"; Structural Characterization, Biological Effects, and Synthetic Studies on Xanthones from Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), a Popular Botanical Dietary Supplement; Y. Chin and A. Kinghorn; November 2008
- "International Journal of Molecular Sciences"; Anti-Cancer Effects of Xanthones from the Pericarps of Mangosteen; Y. Akao, et al.; March 2008
- "Nutrition Journal"; Evaluation of Mangosteen Juice Blend on Biomarkers of Inflammation in Obese Subjects: A Pilot, Dose Finding Study; J. Undani, et al.; October 2009
Member Comments